New Look, New Life
by Neko Kururu
Summary: What happens when a powerful bit beast changes two people in their opposites? Chaos indeed...
1. New Look

**NEW LOOK, NEW LIFE**

God made Adam in his image and then, He made Eve…

He made it so that man be man and woman be woman…

Of course, humanity has found ways to modify that with a simple thing known as _sex change_; come in as a man, come out as a woman thanks to a life altering operation…

But then, there are those who take pleasure in playing God and changing what does not want to be changed… Forbidden powers are accessed, twisted and misused, resulting in disastrous consequences.

Someone always has to pay the price for these unwanted outcomes…

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**Chapter 1 - New Look**

"Come now!" Tyson growled, "You've been bragging ever since your lot brought us in this rat hole, where did all that hot air go now?"

"Shu… shut up!" Replied weakly his opponent, a skinny boy with green hair and a strange gleam in his eyes.

"Ha! All talk and no action!"

"Tyson, finish him fast so we can finally go home…" Said Kai flatly.

He was annoyed of being the only one who hadn't fought, due to the loss of his bit beast in the last tournament, and even more so for the fact that he was left to watch his friends fight from the side lines. The rest of his old team had gone already, Tyson being the last one, and all of them beat their adversaries after a short-lived struggle from their part, destroying the strange shadow bit beasts in the process.

"Will do." Smirked the other, "Get out there Dragoon! Engage engine gear, full power!"

"No! I must prove myself!" Whimpered the green-haired boy, "Go my dark panther!"

The black, bat-winged panther belonging to the losing youth roared defiantly and launched itself at the slim blue dragon.

"Even if you have an evil bit beast, it's no match for my Dragoon!"

The two spirits collided, creating an immense shockwave. The powerful reaction from the impact sent the overwhelmed boy flying against a wall, knocking him unconscious, and destroyed the stage, raising dust, covering the outcome. Once the dust cleared, the kid's blade laid in ruins at his feet. With a victorious grin, Tyson picked up his beyblade and walked over to his friends while behind him two mechanical drones, residents of the floor, had carried off the boy.

"That was pretty pathetic, but compared to the other bladers…" Mumbled Ray, looking disappointed, "They had barely been a challenge…"

"And you fought two of them." Max added with a teasing look.

"I'm still intrigued about the origin of these vile bit beasts these guys have gotten their hands on." Commented Kenny, "It's not like they just popped out of nowhere, someone must have given them their beyblades!"

"I won, we all won, and the bit beasts have been destroyed." Shrugged Tyson, "Who cares?"

He began heading towards the exit, followed by the rest when all of a sudden, a malevolent chuckle boomed, echoing against the walls, becoming omnipresent. All of them instinctively reached for their beyblades and looked around, but were unable to detect the source.

"_You may think all have been destroyed… but one still remains."_ Uttered the voice in a dangerous growl, "_The one that will seal your wretched fate!"_

A blinding flash of light burst like an explosion, obscuring the sight of the five boys, and was accompanied by an angry roar. Something big and heavy fell, shaking the ground, and began getting closer to the boys as they were slowly able to open their eyes again.

"What the?" Kai gasped, the first to fully regain his vision.

Standing before them was an enormous creature, a great bat-winged black panther, baring its long sabre-like fangs threateningly. Its tail swished around excitedly and its fur bristled, its muscles tensing up for something.

"Tyson, I thought you destroyed it!" Growled Kai angrily.

"I… I thought I did too." Stammered the other, shocked.

Kai warily glanced at the beast and suddenly realized what it was about to do.

"Everyone, get out of the way!" He shouted, urgency in his order.

The spirit yowled and leapt forward just as the group scrambled away in different directions. The panther landed heavily, creating a large hole in the ground right where Tyson and the rest had been standing; it turned around in the direction of the re-grouping boys and hissed furiously.

"Wha… What is that thing?" Asked Max, wording the question that was on all of their minds.

"I don't know, I've never heard of anything like this!" Exclaimed Kenny, "A rogue bit beast emerging free without a beyblade and acting like this on its own accord!" He glanced at the hole, "Not to mention the fact that it took such a material form… It's preposterous!"

"Crazy or not, we have to get out of here." Said Ray while keeping an eye on the threat.

"And hopefully in one piece." Added Kai, then gasped and shouted, "Run!"

The creature readied itself for another attack; it leapt again, claws and fangs at the ready. With Kai as the only warning, the five boys quickly sprang away and dashed for the exit, but the panther was fast; with another mighty pounce, it blocked the way out.

"_Going somewhere?_" It snarled.

Everyone split and went their separate ways again, except for Kai, who stood there facing the spirit defiantly. He felt vaguely uneasy, but he remained determined to hide that uneasiness.

"Yeah, out of here and you're certainly not going to stop me."

"_Insolent brat!_"

"Nuisance!"

The creature hissed heatedly in response. Kai got his blade out and readied himself; bit beast or no bit beast, he was not going to idly stand by.

"_You shall suffer for your impudence, puny mortal!_"

_Puny mortal?_ He thought, faintly amused, _It's got issues against humanity…_

Suddenly, the black panther spread its wings and gave a hard flap, the blasts of air knocking the shocked two-tone haired boy off his feet; the creature purred in pleasure as it attacked and Kai closed his eyes, fearing the end. But its charge was cut short by a green object, flashing just inches away from its snout; Max had gone on the offensive…

"Back off freak!" He called out.

Momentarily thrown off, the older boy stared at the blonde, who shot him a confident smile over his shoulder; realizing his ungratifying state, he got to his feet and joined his friend, assuming attack position with his blade once more.

"Thanks…" He muttered.

"What are friends for?" Grinned back the other.

"_How dare you defy me? The very incarnation of chaos?_"

"I don't care whose incarnation you are, you are going back to wherever the hell you came from!" Snapped back Kai.

The beast gave an earth-quaking roar and stomped its foot down, shaking the building to its very foundations, bringing down pieces of the roof and tiles from the walls and making the other boys run for cover from the rubble crashing down.

"Kai!" Exclaimed Tyson, dodging the falling debris, "Stop enraging it further and just get on with it! I'd like to get out of here before the whole thing collapses!"

"Ready Max?" Smirked the two-tone haired boy.

"Anytime!" Replied the blonde.

"_Wretched humans, I curse you all!"_ Cried out the panther, then narrowed its eyes on the two before it, "_And I shall begin with you two._" It then rose to its full height and continued, _"You sealed your fate when you decided to defy me! Now you shall pay!"_

Lightning fast, the creature dove on both the boys, sparing them no time to dodge or run, but just enough to gasp in horror. Like a black mist it enveloped and traversed them; flesh, bones and soul, it went through them all, leaving a cruel laughter ringing in their minds…

They were struck still in midair, as if time around them had slowed to a hollow beat. Their empty eyes stared vacantly at the unseen, a disbelieving breath leaving their lips as they fell through the air to finally hit the ground heavily, then, like rag dolls, lay limp and motionless.

Unable to act or speak, the rest of the boys remained gaping in utter bewilderment as the creature resumed solid form once more and its muzzle seemed to form in an accomplished grin. Suddenly, bright black flames sparked to life from out of nowhere and quickly spread, enveloping the two unmoving bodies. The fire was intense, but gave no warmth; the flames danced maliciously as they licked the flesh without burning it, devoured hair and clothes without turning them into ash…

The blazes that had abruptly engulfed both the blonde and the two-tone haired boy acted as click that brought Tyson and his friends out of the mesmerized state that had been gripping them.

"Kai! Max!" Shouted Tyson, panic swelling inside.

Throwing care in the air, he dashed towards his fallen comrades, forgetting even the presence of the panther not too far away from its victims.

"Tyson, you fool!" Exclaimed Ray, "Watch out!"

He quickly jumped and pushed the rash boy down to the ground just as a large chunk of concrete falling from the ceiling crashed down on the spot where Tyson had been only a few seconds before. Both struck with a feeling of vulnerability, they hastily looked up to where the beast stood; it was sitting in front of the two unconscious bladers, its head high and its bright golden orbs gazing emptily, as if in a trance. Its wings spread open round Kai and Max, surrounding them and hiding them from the sight of the others as if to protect them, or rather to keep the others away, and its long tail was wrapped around its self, only the tip moving as though it kept a steady rhythm…

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_Kai…_

A distant voice was calling the two-tone haired boy, but it was faint, like a far-off echo. He tried opening his eyes, but they refused his command; his whole body felt heavy yet light at the same time, but was definitively cold. He felt as though he was afloat on icy water, but there was no water, just… emptiness around him.

_Kai!_

The voice was a lot closer now, more distinct and… familiar. All of a sudden, he felt warmth cursing through his body from a single point, reviving him; he opened his eyes to find a blonde boy leaning over him.

"Max?" He said softly.

The blonde boy heaved a sigh of relief.

"You scared me…" He said, "I thought you were dead. You weren't breathing…" He sighed again, then continued with a friendly smile, "But you're ok now…"

Kai sat up, helped by his friend, and held his head, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

"So… Now that you're awake…" Said Max, getting up, "Can you tell me… where we are?"

Kai looked around; purple velvet nothingness surrounded them for miles and they seemed to be the only souls in sight. There was neither an up nor a down, as though they were floating in the air, yet Max could stand and walk as on hard ground, and the vast space was devoid of any sound, save for a far-off whispering wind and their voices.

"I'd tell you if I knew…" Replied Kai, stunned, "But it seems like the middle of nowhere…"

He tried getting up, but as soon as he did, he found himself down on his hands and knees, his breath heavy and his head spinning wildly, making the dizziness come over him once more.

"Are you alright?" Exclaimed the blonde, kneeling by his side, "What's wrong?"

The other closed his eyes, attempting to concentrate and calm his breathing, but his head continued to pound; seeing this, Max passed the older boy's arm around his shoulders and pulled him up, letting him rest against his self for support. That's when a biting wind abruptly picked up, making the purple velvet all around them ripple and wave without a sound; the phenomenon was then followed by a voice.

"_Alive?"_ Said the voice, sounding surprised, _"You are still alive?"_

The velvet void shivered even harder as drops of pure black liquid appearing from nothing slowly gathered together, then assembled faster to finally take the shape of a woman. The woman had ink-black hair in a decorative hairstyle, held together with two long vivid red chopsticks, while a round crimson jewel shone in the middle of her forehead with an ominous light. Her royal-looking kimono was completely black save for her sash and the juban underneath, which were both red. But most discomforting were her golden eyes as they examined the two boys before her; they were exactly like the panther's…

"You!" Exclaimed Kai, realisation followed by anger, now building inside him, "You're the creature! You're the rogue bit beast that Tyson faced!"

Max's eyes widened and turned to stare at the strange female spirit. Ignoring his accusations, the woman turned her attention to him alone and scanned him from head to toe; he growled threateningly, making her smile, showing off sharp feline fangs.

"_You're not resisting as well as the other child, yet you are still able to move and talk._" She said calmly.

She took a few steps forward, making the two boys flinch back one.

"Stay back!" Warned Max.

Now her attention shifted to him; she scanned him as she had with Kai, but this time she frowned.

"_You have a guardian spirit protecting you."_ She hissed.

"Draciel." He said, suddenly recognizing its presence in his soul.

The woman turned back to Kai, who sustained her gaze with a glare; his breathing had become harsh now.

"_Yet you…"_ Her golden orbs narrowed on him,_ "You do not possess a guardian…Why are you still alive child?"_

"Heh…" He scoffed, "I guess Draciel is protecting us both…"

She hissed loudly and Kai grunted in pain, bringing a hand to his chest, feeling something pressure it as though a giant invisible hand was squeezing him; he closed his eyes and allowed his head to drop on Max's shoulder as he gasped with heavy pants. He felt a drop of blood escape from his nose and slowly roll on his lip.

"Kai!" Called his friend as soon as he noticed.

"I'm fine…" He muttered back, wiping the blood with the back of his hand, "Don't worry about me… Worry about yourself…"

_Damn, I don't think he can last too long without a bit beast of his own…_ Max thought, turning back to the strange being, _And Draciel can't shield us forever._

"_The heroic type…"_ Chuckled the woman, _"I admire your boldness, even in the face of death."_

"Shut up!" Shouted Max, "Neither of us is going to die!"

"_You are right…"_ She frowned, _"I cannot kill you as long as that troublesome guardian spirit is attached to you and watching over the other."_ Her frown was replaced by a malicious smirk, _"But I can always curse you! A curse that can't be stopped!"_

He gasped as she began chanting quickly and forming seals with her hands.

"Kai…" He said softly, looking pale.

"Max, we have to get out of here before she ends her spell…" Replied Kai.

Just as they were about to run, a powerful black aura surrounded the woman.

"_Too late!"_ She laughed coldly.

With a brisk wave of a red fan she had pulled out of her sleeve, she cast two purple fireballs; they shot off like cannonballs, hitting the two boys squarely in the chest, knocking out their breaths. Both fell back and drifted through the velvet nothingness as the flames engulfed them for a second time, but it was different from the first time… Blinding pain surged through their bodies as fire rushed in their veins and every muscle tensed and burned. They closed their eyes but could still see the woman and her laughter remained ringing in their heads as though it would never go away; the two screamed in agony and fear, but the sounds were lost in the nothingness. Finally the pain slowly subsided; too weak to remain awake, they let themselves be swallowed by the darkness…

"_Remember me…"_ She said before both lost consciousness, _"Remember for I am Konton…"_

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The three remaining boys did their best to get the panther's attention, but it seemed as though it were unconscious, or rather, its mind was not there. They had even attacked it with their bit beasts, but it didn't even flinch, let alone leave a mark; the creature had raised some sort of barrier against all their attempts to harm it, and that was not good.

"Tyson, nothing's working!" Growled Ray angrily.

"I know!" Snapped back the other, "God dammit I know!"

All of a sudden, the beast shuddered from head to tail as though something or someone had smacked it back to reality.

"Guys, I think it lost its concentration!" Exclaimed Kenny, "Attack it now!"

"Gotcha!" Replied both the boys.

Just as they were about to launch another assault, the beast raised its head and… laughed. Its voice was not the same as before, it had become more feminine, but kept its cruel touch. That's when a column of black fire erupted from between its wings, right where Kai and Max were…

"Kai! Max!" Shouted Tyson, eyes wide in shock.

"_Foolish humans!"_ Laughed the panther, getting up and spreading its wings to either side, _"Now you will remember not to oppose me!"_

Its words were directed at the flaming vortex in front of its muzzle but it quickly turned towards the rest of the boys, who were staring in utter disbelief.

"_As for you…"_ The creature hissed furiously, _"You are lucky to have guardian spirits with you, but I shall be back!"_

Before anyone could say anything to object, it stretched its wings to their full length and lifted off the ground, flying up to the high ceiling. There, it circled a few times before it let go of a thunderous roar and disappeared in a ball of white light, leaving behind a thin black mist. Meanwhile, the vortex trapping the panther's two victims was gradually subsiding, slowing down until it vanished away completely, leaving to behold two strange figures lying on the ground. One had long blond hair while the other, long, dark hair…

"Oh. My. God." Said Tyson, eyes wide as realization dawned on him.

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Little by little, consciousness streamed back to Kai; he found himself lying on the ground, his face resting on the cold pavement. At first he couldn't remember why, but then it hit him; the panther, the woman, the curse…

All of a sudden, someone turned him over, holding him reclined, and gently brushed back his hair; those actions didn't feel right, but he found himself too weak to fight back. After what seemed an eternity, he finally opened his eyes and saw a hazy figure with long raven hair taking care of him; he recognized the figure as… Ray.

Ray noticed the girl in his arms wake, and inhaled sharply when he locked eyes with hers; they were a dim grey, but… the very same grey that belonged to Kai.

"Kai?" He said tentatively.

"Ray? What…?" Replied the girl.

"Christ!" He exclaimed, his eyes going wide, "You're Kai!"

The two-tone haired teen eyed him carefully before speaking, confused by his strange behaviour.

"Yeah… Who else would I be?"

"I… It's just… You're…" Stammered the other, unable to speak properly.

Not listening, he pushed him back and tried to sit up to his knees; everything hurt and his head felt leaden. He managed to sit straight on his knees but he quickly fell back to his hands; he lowered his head down, holding it in one hand as it throbbed painfully, making a curtain of long hair fall around him like smooth silk. He heard Ray gasp behind him but he ignored him.

"What the…?" He muttered.

He brushed back his long bangs, only to find that his hair was much too straight and lengthy to be his; it could very well reach his waist if he stood up. Confused, he looked up at Ray who was gaping at him like he had never seen a face before; he seemed just as puzzled as Kai, but also had anxiousness flickering in his wide eyes.

"Ray, wha…what's going on?"

"This is not happening…" He said softly in return, more to himself than to anyone, as he got up and took a step back.

Annoyed by the raven-haired boy's total bewilderment and lack of answers, Kai sighed exasperatedly, and suddenly realized how tight his chest felt; it was as though something was pressing it… his jacket was compacting it. He brought a hand to his chest to feel if the pain was from some wound, undoubtedly one created from the fireball…

His eyes widened at what he felt, made him gasp and sent a shiver down his back; his chest bulged under his stiff jacket like breasts would. Woman's breasts…

It took him a while to process the information flooding in his mind; he had… tits?

_No! _He shook his head stubbornly and immediately wished he hadn't; his head spun wildly. _I just bumped my head or…perhaps that woman is hypnotizing me… I'm still in that empty place! This can't be true! I… No!_

His silky hair softly whipped his face as he shook his head. At this he felt nauseous and unsteady, but he refused to accept the current events. His stomach was ready to lurch but his pride and tight throat would not allow him to puke; he was not about to give in to these mind tricks.

"Kai?" Called softly Ray, "Are you…"

"No!" Kai cut him off with a shout, "This… this is just not possible! It can't be!" He gasped, hearing his voice, and looked up at the raven-haired boy, "Ray, what is going on?"

The other merely bit his lip for silence, stricken by the look of horror and despair on his friend's face. Suddenly, another outraged exclamation stole his attention and that of Kai as well; Tyson and Kenny were kneeling by someone, a girl with long blond hair, and she was holding her head in one hand as she pulled her knees to her with the other.

"Max…" Said Ray, answering Kai's silent question.

His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the blonde girl whimpering and muttering under her breath; he was certain he heard "_impossible_" and "_I'm a girl_" though.

"But… He had Draciel… How did… She said…" He protested, but his words died off and he dropped his head, "Impossible…"

Ray knelt back down in front of him but hesitation stopped him before taking him by the shoulders; perhaps Kai would take this the wrong way…

Finally deciding himself, he rested his hands on them but Kai kept his head down, ignoring him. Kai, on his hands and knees, defeated and hopeless, was something he had never expected to witness, but seeing the circumstances, nothing that had happened today made sense. He noticed the girl's hands, clenched and white-knuckled, and decided to try and talk.

"Kai?" He called, but received no sign.

He remained still, his mind racing for something to say. He looked over his shoulder for help and met with Tyson's gaze; he was at a loss for words as badly as Ray so he had his hand on Max's shoulder for silent support. Returning to his own problems, he tried again…

"Kai, you need to stay calm…" He said softly, "Getting angry or frantic won't solve anything…"

All of a sudden, Kai's head snapped back and he slapped him away, making the surprised raven-haired boy gasp as he fell to the floor.

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" He shouted at him before a curtain of hair covered his newly lowered head.

Everyone's attention turned on them; even Max stopped whimpering to look at the two. Ray merely stared at the girl in front of him… Kai.

"How can I relax…" Continued the two-tone haired blader on an impassive tone while getting to his feet, "How can I relax when I look like this…" He opened his arms to show the rest.

At this, Ray dropped his eyes, feeling guilty for his words.

"How can I stay calm!" He shouted at him, looking straight at him.

"Kai, I…" Began the other, but stopped dead when he raised his gaze and saw Kai's face.

Tears were running down his now delicate features, turning blue as they rolled on his face marks. His eyes were filled with anger, anguish and great confusion while his lower lip quavered in frustration.

"This… this is just…" Kai went on, his tone dropping to a low mutter, "It can't be happening…" He clenched his fists at his sides, "Just can't…"

Silence enveloped the broken room, interrupted only by a sniffle from Max's part. All of them had their eyes on their old companion; he was impossible to recognize, not merely because he had now turned to a young woman, but because of his desperate words and bitter tears. None of them had ever seen their friend so shook up, so lost and distressed…

"Ray…"

The raven-haired boy immediately got up and looked at Kai, anxious at his next course of action, hoping that perhaps it won't be as rash as the previous.

"What is it? What's…" He stopped for a second, quickly changing '_what's wrong_' with something else, "What do you need me to do?"

"Ray, I want you to hit me." He replied simply.

He looked at his old teammate with a serious face, making him take a step back, eyes wide, while Tyson said something on the lines of an outraged '_what!'_.

"I… I can't do that!" Exclaimed Ray.

"Why?" He shouted at him, "Because I'm… I'm…"

He couldn't get around to say it, but they knew what he meant…

"Yes… I mean! No!" Stammered the raven-haired boy, "It's because… because it's… not right!" He finally blurted out, "I can't hit you because you're my friend…"

The other gave a mirthless laugh, making Ray flinch.

"Shut up." He said briskly, "Just shut up and do it."

"But…"

"I said shut up and do it dammit!"

Ray bit his tongue so not to reply; he felt Kai's glare on him, but he averted his gaze to the floor. At this, Kai growled and walked away from the group, turning his back on them and taking something out from his pocket; Ray suddenly realized what it was…

"Kai! Stop!" He exclaimed.

He jumped to Kai's side, grabbed him with one arm around his shoulders and snatched his wrist with his free hand, making something silver and black drop to the floor with a metallic sound. It was a fine penknife, blade out, that he had been holding.

"Wha?" Said two-tone haired teen, taken aback, "Ray?"

That's when he realized what had happened…

"Ray! Let go!" He shouted, grabbing the arm around his shoulders with his free hand and trying to get free, "Let… me… go!" He struggled.

The raven-haired boy remained silent as he watched his friend fighting to get him off. He was surprised that he could hold him down so easily; Kai was a great martial artist, perhaps better than him, yet he couldn't get away. He understood that he was frantic but still…

He also found himself taller…

Kai had always been taller than him, yet now he was a good couple of inches shorter…

Lost in thought, he forgot about the others, who were gaping at the two with a mix of shock and wonder; they had never seen a display such as this…

Suddenly, an elbow in the stomach brought Ray back to reality with a grunt. Instinctively, he tightened his grip around the girl, but then remembered whom he was dealing with; on second thought, the hit he had gotten did not help to lessen his hold.

"Ray…" Said Kai breathlessly "You're… You're hurting me!" He exclaimed, then gasped sharply, "Wait… you're… hurting me? What?"

Finally, Ray let go of Kai's wrist and lessened his grip, though still keeping his arm around his shoulders, as a safety measure. Kai's hands dropped limply to his sides, disbelief knotting his stomach.

Pain…

Kai's mind was ready to collapse; all this could not be real, yet, he felt pain…

He dropped his head in one hand and closed his eyes, concentrating on making it all go away, on making himself wake up from this living nightmare. Meanwhile, Ray slid his arm out and instead faced him and held him by the shoulders.

"I am having a horrible dream…" He mumbled, not even conscious of the other's presence, "No… A horrible, horrible nightmare…"

_I felt pain…_ The thought resonated in his mind, _No, I must have imagined it, after all, I'm used to it so much I have suffered it… I could have just imagined it… It's all in my mind._

But he knew it wasn't…

"Why couldn't I just have died…" He said as tears swelled in his eyes again, "I wish I had died…"

That's when all of a sudden Ray slapped him across his cheek. Kai's eyes widened in shock, then turned to stare at him, incredulous; the raven-haired boy looked impassive. Kai slowly brought a hand to his lip as he felt something pearl down his chin.

Blood… Combined with a sharp sting; pain…

"Oh God… This can't be true…" He said in a low whisper, "It can't…"

That's when something in his mind snapped; his senses grew numb and he lost consciousness…

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The authoress will now make a grandiose comeback, with a celebration full of sparklers and attractions! Rejoice I tell you!

Ps: This may not be the final version for I often change my mind about things.


	2. Damn

**Chapter 2 – Damn**

Consciousness flickered on and off…

Kai's mind kept switching from numb to busy at a sickening pace, leaving him nauseous and disoriented. At times he would wake… though at most half conscious… The first time he found himself being carried by someone in a well furnished room and gently being laid down on a bed, the second time he thought he saw Tyson and a blonde girl talking quietly on a bed beside his. Finally, he woke for a third time, though this was the most lucid state of mind compared to the previous. He slowly opened his eyes and realized he was staring at a ceiling, painted red by the sun; whether it was rising or setting he couldn't tell. The softness of what he was laying on suggested a bed, then realized there were covers as well, and a pillow…

As far as he could tell, he was alone in the room but the other bed hinted that it had been used recently, perhaps by that blonde girl…

A fuzzy memory told him that girl had been Max, but he didn't know why…

A second later, another fuzzy memory swirled around in his head, but he couldn't grasp it; it swam just beyond his reach each time it came around, as if taunting him…

Finally, he caught it… It reminded him of something, something bad that had happened.

_To me?_ He asked the ceiling, _To someone I know?_

He didn't understand, just that it was something very bad…

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; his head ached and his mind still spun wildly, but he could think more clearly than the other times he could remember. Actually, his mind was the only thing working so far…

His body felt numb yet at the same time prickled, especially his chest; cold, even though he was under thick blankets. He tried to move his arm, but the most he managed was to stretch and clench his fingers. He tried the same with the other hand, then worked up to twisting his wrists; a little of the numbness in the arms wore off and he was finally able to move them, at least to get himself more comfortable.

Looking around the room again, he found the window, two large screen doors that could slide in one way or the other. The long white curtains rippled with a gentle breeze, moving enough for him to see that the sun was setting; deep orange shades and crimson red streaked the sky, followed by purple and navy blue. A couple of stars dotted the growing darkness, but they were more often than not covered with fat clouds racing each other.

"That's why I'm cold…" He muttered to himself.

Murmurs suddenly caught his attention; he realized there were voices in the other room…

_Ray…_ He noted, _And Tyson too…_

He couldn't recognize all of them, but he was sure of those two. There was someone talking with a deeper voice, an adult, and another one that sounded tired, as if old; that one sounded familiar, but he couldn't identify whom. He was also heard… Kenny, but he wasn't sure. He wanted to know what they were talking about, but found himself too weak and tired to move out of bed.

All of a sudden, a yawn sneaked up on him and he realized that his mind and senses were slowly shutting down again…

He struggled to remain awake but that proved rather difficult; his eyelids were heavy and his bed was so soft and comforting…

_Damn…_ He thought before falling asleep.

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I apologize for the length (or lack thereof) of this chapter. This was meant as a bridge between the first one and the third one…

Ps: Again, this will be prone to changes.


	3. A Heated Encounter

**Chapter 3 – A Heated Encounter**

Somewhere in his personal darkness, Kai stumbled about with no sense of direction, unable to even tell up from down; everything around him was black and cold. He felt feverish; shivers ran down his back yet sweat beaded his face, his breath came in ragged gasps and his eyes were veiled with a swirl of emotions. Fear, pain, regret, anger, grief…

Suddenly, a spark of red light caught his attention; it was faint, but he also heard a whisper, pressing him towards the light, calling… Calling his name…

Kai broke into a run, the whispers pulling him on, the light slowly growing, slowly emitting warmth… He wanted it. He wanted the warmth to take him, to surround everything and envelop him forever. Somehow… he knew he needed it, as if his life depended on it; a cure… It was a cure to his illness… Another thought joined the first: he thought he recognized it… The light and its warmth were close now; he could feel a hot wind caressing his face, dispelling his sickness, erasing all doubt…

_Kai…_

He abruptly stopped running and found himself face to face with a man. He was a handsome man, perhaps in his early twenties, but something about how he held himself told Kai he was much older… The man was fair skinned and well built; he stood with a good head higher than Kai. He wore crimson pants and a short sleeve-less jacket of the same colour, which he let open on the front. Some sorts of symbols were tattooed on his exposed stomach and more ran down his arms; the red symbols seemed to radiate the heat Kai felt around him. The two-toned haired youth now raised his head to examine the new comer's face. This man's hair was fiery red, the back tied in a long tress, reaching below his waist and gently swirling around behind him by the calm breeze; two pointed ears poked out from among the strands of red. Then, his eyes… Kai met with his gaze and was taken aback; they were a light blue and had a piercing quality to them, as if he could look straight into someone's soul…

At first, he had a serious expression, making the youth before him uncomfortable, but when their gazes met, his lips curled into an affectionate smile.

"_Kai…"_ He said with a touch of fondness.

The other merely looked up at him, unable to tear his eyes away from those endless blue orbs looking back at him and unable to speak. He felt as though he knew this man… just a feeling, but it was there; familiarity…

All of a sudden, he raised his hand; Kai flinched and closed his eyes, afraid of what he might do. Gently, he caressed the two-toned hair's cheek then passed his hand through his hair, brushing it back from his face. Kai was confused but refused to look up at the man for fear of locking into his eyes again. He didn't know why he was treating him as though he was…

_A girl…_ He gasped, his eyes going wide and meeting the other's face, _I'm a… a girl…_

"_Kai…It's been so long…"_ Said softly the other, _"How you've changed…"_

"I've become a girl…" Replied Kai bitterly, dropping his head.

"_Yes you have…"_ The man smiled again, _"A fine-looking girl at that…"_

He tenderly took Kai's face with both hands now and raised it, making him look straight at him, making him fall back to those blue eyes.

"What are you…?" He gasped, but was silenced with his grave look.

_"Kai… Are you afraid?"_

"No… I… I'm…" He stammered.

The man examined him as if he were penetrating him with his gaze; it seemed pointless to answer since he was just going to see it for himself.

_"You are terrified…"_

His tone was tinged with disappointment, like he had been expecting more from him.

"Yes…" Kai finally answered, defeated.

He remained silent, studying the girl before him. Outside, he was impassive, save for the scowl and the cold reflecting in his eyes; inside, he was confused as the girl, as to the how, the why; he knew the who…

In the end, he sighed and a warm smile replaced the frown. The girl before him had once been strong, at another time, with another face… He wanted her to be strong again. In a moment, his features had become unreadable, but stubborn determination burned inside him.

_"Do you trust me?"_

Kai looked up, puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"_Do you?"_ He insisted.

"I…" He began, but hesitated, "I… do." He shook his head, "I don't know why, but I know I can trust you…"

"_Then listen to me…"_ The man took him by the shoulders, _"You will not throw your life away."_

_How…_ Kai's eyes widened, _How could he know?_

"_You will live and persevere, no matter how hard things get."_ He continued, _"And besides… you're not the only one."_

"You mean… Max?" The man nodded, making Kai even more puzzled, "But… How do you know?"

"_I know much, but that is not the matter at hand."_ His hands slid from his shoulders and up his neck, up to hold his face again, _"You must promise me…"_

Something was happening to Kai; he felt warm… hot even… At first he thought it was the wind, or just being there, enveloped by light. Something told him he was wrong, that the heat came from within him and yet… the man. His presence was filling him, spreading through his body and rushing in his veins from where is hands held him; his touch was the source of the fire in him.

"Promise…?" Asked Kai softly, slowly being taken over by both the heat and his gaze.

"_Yes…"_ He replied just as softly.

The man's hands slid farther, his fingers going in Kai's hair. As he did, he leaned forward, his face almost touching his; Kai could smell his sweet breath, feel his silky hair fall around the both of them. He was now sure the man was causing him to feel the way he did; so… warm… so close…

"Promise what…?" He managed to say in a whisper.

He needed more, the heat, this feeling… that man. Unconsciously, his hands went on the man's hands, then slid down to his arms, down to his chest; he shivered at feeling his chest, powerful and built, and his heart beating quickly. From there, his hands grabbed his jacket. He closed his eyes, drinking in this sensation, when he suddenly felt the man's chest come in contact with his, or rather, his feminine chest. He gasped, his eyes opening again; he felt him through his clothes, like skin against skin, making him look. He was still clothed, yet it felt as though he wore nothing but his skin, the other's chest pressing against him, heating him. He closed his eyes and smiled despite himself, loving the sensation; at this, the man closed his own eyes and rested his forehead against Kai's, sliding his hands a few inches forward in his hair.

_"Promise me that you will never stop…"_

Kai's heart began beating faster, yet he didn't know why, just that it had to do with the heat surging through him; he could feel the other growing warmer too, as if his desire was the heat…

"Yes…" Murmured Kai.

_"That you will never quit…"_

The man gently kissed the two-toned hair's forehead, then brushed his eye with his lips, making him grip his jacket and pull him closer to his self. The other smiled as he continued his taunts, letting one hand slide behind Kai's head while the other went around his waist, pulling him even closer, groin to groin. Kai's heart raced and the heat was overwhelming his senses but he didn't care… Not the why or the what… Just the heat… Just the man and his passion…

"_Never…"_ He repeated.

Kai tried to answer, but the most he managed was a soft moan, making the man shiver. Without realizing, the two-toned hair was making the man want him more and more, despite what he had originally meant; it took all of his self-control not to kiss the girl in his arms, not to make her his. He was surprised to suddenly feel her hands caressing his face, her lips brush lightly against his; forgetting himself, he closed his eyes and leaned forward.

_STOP!_

The man's head snapped back, eyes wide, and Kai, startled, huddled closer to him; both looked in the direction of where the shout had come from. A woman had appeared; a blue aura like rippling water encircled her and she moved graciously, as if gliding on that water. She was wearing a long shirt, the neck opening in a v-shape, and a tight fishnet shirt underneath; a long cloth hung like a banner on the front. Bare foot like the man, bandages wrapped her feet and hands, making her look like a strong warrior. Kai's eyes trailed up to her face; she had two long bangs while the back of her hair was short, like she wanted to prevent it from going in her face. Her eyes were a light aqua colour, looked always watchful; now, they also showed anger.

"_What do you think you're doing?"_ She growled at the man.

The man merely narrowed his eyes on her and passed his arms around Kai protectively.

_"Have you forgotten our mission?"_ She continued. 

"_I have not."_ He replied curtly.

_"Then what are…"_

"_I will do as I wish!" _He cut her off, then lowered his voice to a dangerous growl,_ "You are in my territory… Leave now."_

When she didn't move, the red aura surrounding him grew, like fire blazing higher and higher; so did the woman's own aura. The two opposing forces stared each other down; the tension building up between them was almost thick enough to cut with a knife. The two-tone hair felt unsettled, as if this was somehow his fault…

"Please…" He said softly, "Please don't fight…"

The man turned his gaze on him; his eyes were ice cold, but Kai sustained it with a pleading look. Finally, his gaze softened and a smile crept on his lips.

"_We will not…"_ He said reassuringly, caressing his cheek with the back of one hand.

Kai closed his eyes and held his hand, resting his head against the redhead's chest; it heaved as the man sighed. Kai looked up to find him smiling, but it was a sad smile…

"_You're so selfish…"_ Said the woman to herself in an annoyed tone, then spoke louder,_ "Do as you will, but finish quickly, we need to leave."_

The man shot her a deadly glance, making her cross her arms and raised her nose, as if insulted.

"You are… leaving?" Gasped Kai, "So soon? Why?"

The man tried to step back from the girl, but Kai still held his jacket; he seemed a little surprised, but sadness was truly obvious in his blue eyes.

"_Kai…"_ He started, but swallowed back whatever else he was about to say.

"Please, can't you stay just a while longer?" Pleaded the two-tone haired girl.

The man shook his head, then took her hands in his, taking them away from his jacket.

"_I am sorry, but I cannot…"_ He said softly as he dropped to one knee.

Kai felt as if he would die without this man, as if his sole existence revolved around his passionate heat. After a short silence, he managed to ask…

"Will I ever see you again?"

The man looked intently into his eyes before his lips curved.

_"Perhaps… In time…"_ Getting back up, he added, _"Just remember that…"_ He gently placed one hand above her left breast, _"I will always be there with you… Forever…" _

An impatient grunt from the woman told them both that it was time to separate; the redhead gave her an annoyed glance before brushing back Kai's hair and kissing him goodbye on the forehead. He let go of his hands and began walking away, joining the woman who was still waiting, her aura shivering with her irritation.

"Wait!" Suddenly exclaimed the two-tone hair, "You… you never told me your name!"

The man turned around and smiled warmly.

_"You already know me."_

And with that he was gone…

Darkness crept back, devouring all the space that light had once occupied, bringing with it cruel realization; Kai dropped to his hands and knees, feeling distressed once more. The heat was gone, the light and the safety he had felt with that man had disappeared with him and…

He didn't even know his name…

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Is this kinky and emo or what! D Not to worry, there will be more stuff like this, just... a lot farther ahead. HAHAHA!

Sorry for the confusion by the way, I might change this later on...


	4. Wake Up

**Chapter 4 – Wake up**

It's been three days since arriving at the Yama-Yama hotel…

After the incident, Kenny had managed to find a working radio and contacted the head of the G-Revolution to bring in an emergency lift; Mr. Dickinson himself came on the helicopter he had sent. When he saw the two girls, he decided that it would be wiser to stay at a hotel rather than a hospital; it would have attracted too much attention. He personally paid for a large suite at a hotel just outside of Tokyo so to accommodate the whole group, then gave the manager a bribe to let them stay inconspicuously. Thankfully, not many customers were booked in, due to the time of year; the hot springs in the back of the hotel weren't very… hot.

Every late afternoon, Mr. Dickinson came by to check on the situation and to discuss about plans for the future…

"Has Kai woken up yet?" He asked as he took off his coat.

Ray, who had been meditating, sitting cross-legged on the couch, raised his head and glanced at him with one golden eye.

"No. Not yet…"

He sounded tired, as if he had barely gotten any sleep for the last few nights, but he always shrugged it off whenever someone asked if he was all right. Tyson, sitting beside him shook his head and passed a hand through his hair; he had dark circles under his eyes.

"But at least her fever dropped…" He added.

The old man nodded and sighed, taking a seat on the smaller couch to the right of the two.

"What about Max?"

"He…" Began Tyson, but stopped and corrected himself, "She's in her room…"

"Is she alright?"

"I guess… She hasn't talked to me much though…" He said sadly.

"I don't think I've ever seen Max so depressed…" Commented Ray.

The other two nodded in agreement, then fell silent.

"Oh, Mr. Dickinson." Suddenly said a third boy, "I didn't know you were here."

Kenny stepped in the room, carrying his laptop under one arm and holding an empty water bottle in his other hand; even _he_ sounded tired. All of them knew he had passed sleepless nights trying to figure out what had happened to his friends, restlessly working on his trusty laptop. All in all, none of them had slept much these last three days…

"I just arrived." Replied the man, "Have you found anything?"

Taking a seat between Tyson and Ray, he flipped open his laptop and began typing quickly.

"Perhaps…" He said simply.

"Perhaps? What do you mean _perhaps_?" Exclaimed Tyson, "Chief! _Perhaps_ won't solve our problem!"

"I know Tyson but…"

"And neither will _but_!"

"Tyson." The raven-haired boy growled, silencing the impatient blader.

Tyson's lack of sleep was making him more irritable than usual…

"As I was trying to say…" Kenny said patiently, "I may have found something."

"Let's hear it then." Nodded Mr. Dickinson.

"Well, from what Max has told me, Konton… or rather, the incarnation of Chaos, is an unknown bit beast-like creature, not an actual god."

"Goddess…" Corrected Ray absently.

"Whatever…" Continued the brown-haired boy, "Now, this theory is only based on what Max told me since I have no actual data on the beast. What data I do have is of Tyson's battle, but I don't think it's enough, nor even accurate."

"What I fought was nothing like the thing that attacked us…" Muttered the navy-haired youth bitterly.

"I know Tyson…" Sighed Kenny, "The… thing that attacked us was not a normal bit beast; to tell you the truth, I'm not even sure it _was_ a bit beast at all…"

"Then what could it have been?" Asked the old man.

"That… I really don't know…" He sighed again, "My theory is that it was an ancient spirit, extracted and forced into a blade, turning it into something close to an actual bit beast."

"But what made it material? From what you've told me, that creature was solid enough to nearly tear down the building on you boys."

"Well, at first that reminded me of the cyber bit beasts that the Psykicks had…"

At that, Tyson and Ray both gave a low growl; just the name still brought back bad memories. Ignoring the two, Kenny went on with his explanations.

"But since I hadn't detected any interferences or power surges, or anything that could have been recorded as a digitally interactive hologram, I dismissed the idea."

"So… If it's not a bit beast, then…" Mr. Dickinson said slowly.

"It's an unknown entity." Replied Kenny, "An entity that is somehow related to bit beasts, but is not one itself."

The older man nodded to himself as he brushed his moustache but the others remained quiet. Tyson passed a hand through his hair for the hundredth time, Kenny typed something on his laptop and Ray was gazing absent-mindedly at the window behind them; the sky was completely grey and it was raining hard.

"There's still one thing that I don't understand…" Suddenly said Kenny, his tone somewhat hesitant.

"What is it?" Asked Mr. Dickinson.

"The entity's power…" His tone became more hesitant, "My question is… how did it acquire so much power? I mean, that was not modern technology, or black for that matter…"

"Maybe…" Ray said, though more to himself than anyone, "Ozuma had said that bit beasts were created, no… born thousands of years ago…" He glanced at Kenny, then narrowed his eyes on no point in particular, two golden orbs deep in thought, "I know this thing is not a real bit beast, but what if… they really _do_ have powers beyond human fantasy? What if bit beasts _are_ gods?"

The room fell silent again, the only sounds coming from the rain beating against the windows; the three, outside of Ray, exchanged wondering looks. Slowly, Kenny shifted uncomfortably before speaking again.

"Well…"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Slowly, ever so slowly, Kai became conscious of where he was; he was lying on his side on a bed and a cover had been pulled up to his ear. He could hear rain pounding against windows, and see a faint light through his eyelids. His head still ached and remembering came hard to him, so he tried not to think about things too much. Finally, after much mental effort, he managed to open his eyes…

"So you're finally awake."

A girl with blond hair was sitting against the head of her bed, her knees tucked under her chin and a blanket around her shoulders. Kai seemed to know her…

"You…" He muttered, then tried his luck, "Max?"

The girl nodded, making his eyes widen in shock; like an explosion, memories flowed back, as well as the stinging pain in his chest, and he felt nauseous again. He quickly sat up and immediately wished he hadn't; he held his throbbing head in both hands then rested his forehead on his knees to balance his senses.

"Damn…" He groaned.

His splitting headache made the word echo in his mind, momentarily making him oblivious to his friend, sitting just across of him, until he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?"

He glanced at her through his dark bangs; that's when he realized that he too was…

"Of course I'm not!" He exclaimed angrily, but regretted it as soon as his headache echoed his words again.

"Kai… I… I know how you feel…" She said weakly.

The blonde sounded exhausted… Defeated too, as if she had given up on her situation and just learned to accept it; that was what Kai will be doing soon, if nothing was done to reverse the damage. He spoke as soon as his head stopped booming.

"How long was I out?" He asked quietly, lightly fingering his temples.

"You were asleep for some time…" She replied, "Three days to be exact…"

The two-toned hair lowered his eyes as thoughts about his companions floated to him; he somehow felt… guilty about it.

"Oh…" He said simply.

"Dickinson said that if you didn't wake up by tomorrow morning, he was going to bring you to the hospital… Ray and Tyson were really worried…" Muttered Max softly, "And Kenny's been pulling all-nighters to figure out what happened to us." She sighed, "I was worried too. I… I thought you…" She shook her head, "Never mind… it was a foolish thought…"

Kai glanced at her questioningly.

"What? What did you think?"

"Well, I…" She muttered, "I… thought you might have lost your soul or something…" Then quickly added, "I know it sounds stupid, but because you… because Draciel wasn't… _I_ wasn't strong enough to protect us both, you may have had to pay the price and…"

"Calm down Max, I'm fine." He stopped her, "A little numb and queasy, but fine…"

_Yeah… Like being a girl is fine…_ Said a mocking little voice in his head, but he dismissed it.

"That's… good."

She seemed a little relieved, but her blue eyes were still dull and she still lowered her head, resting her chin on her knees.

"What about you Max?" Asked Kai, "You look really miserable… I don't think I've ever seen you like that."

She gave him a sideways glance, then gave a bitter chuckle, brushing a blond bang back with an almost automatic gesture.

"Yeah well… Being turned into a girl all of a sudden ain't no joy ride…"

He gave a slow nod before brushing back his own hair; his head felt a little better.

"Hey Max…"

The blonde looked up and was surprised to see her friend up on his feet. He still wore his turtleneck sweater, which stretched across his chest, and his jeans, which were now too large for him and stopped well under his navel; his jacket was on the armchair in a corner of the room, along with Max's own jacket.

"Are you sure you're well enough to get up?"

"Yeah, I told you I'm feeling much better…" He looked around, then stopped on the two doors in the room, "Which one is the bathroom?"

"The left one." Max got up as well, "Should I go tell them you're finally awake? They'll be happy to hear."

"No… I want to tell them myself…" He answered then went in the bathroom.

Half of him was reluctant to check on his… new body, while the other half was ferociously curious. A glance at the mirror made him shiver.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"I see…" Muttered the older man, unconsciously tugging at his white moustache.

Kenny flipped closed his laptop and sighed heavily; the other two had listened closely, but now seemed to be lost in their own thoughts.

"What do you think about my theory Mr. Dickinson?"

"It seems rational, but this matter will require much more than a theory." With his own sigh, he leaned back against the chair, "I will dispatch my research team right away, but it will take time." He massaged his eyes before going on, "For now, we can only hope for the best."

The brown-haired boy nodded understandingly, then took his glasses and cleaned them, even though they were plainly clean; an unconscious habit, sign he was worried or stressed. All of a sudden, Tyson got up and passed a hand through his hair.

"I'm making myself some tea, anyone want some?" He asked as he was already heading for the kitchen.

"I'd love some Tyson, thank you." Replied Mr. Dickinson.

"Me too please." Added Kenny.

When he only heard two voices, the navy-haired boy turned around and looked at his raven-haired teammate.

"Ray?"

He looked up, as if suddenly aware of the people around him, breaking away from his deep study.

"Tea?" Repeated Tyson.

"No thanks." Answered the other.

Ray glanced at the door leading to the girl's room with a flicker of hope; he wished it would suddenly open and reveal his two friends, feeling better and back in their own bodies. It didn't happen and he realized how foolish that wish had been.

_Wishful thinking indeed…_ He thought bitterly.

"Are you feeling alright my boy?"

He turned his attention back in the living room and noticed he was alone with the older man; Kenny had probably gone in the kitchen to help Tyson.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You look exhausted, you _all_ do." He said gently but anxiously, "Have you gotten any sleep at all these last three days?"

"Some…" He replied nonchalantly.

"Apparently not enough, if any at all." The other went on in a disapproving tone, "Staying awake all night won't help anyone, especially not yourselves."

The raven-hair let his head drop back against the couch and pressed his palms on his closed eyes, a deep breath raising and lowering his chest.

"Please Ray, I'm only trying to help."

He didn't reply, just kept his hands on his eyes, ending the conversation; it felt good, the warmth and the dark on his eyelids. With his eyes closed, he could hear better, or was more alert of the sounds around him; in the kitchen, Tyson and Kenny were pouring water in cups, the tea, though he could also tell by the gentle smell of fresh mint slowly wafting in the living room, and Mr. Dickinson shifting in his chair. He thought he could also hear water running, coming from the bathroom in the girls' room; the hope that Kai might finally be awake came back, stronger than ever. Then again, he could be imagining it; he felt too tired.

"Here you go Mr. Dickinson." Said Kenny, coming back in the room with two cups in his hands, "We only had Mint though."

"That's quite alright Kenny." Smiled tiredly the man, taking the cup the brunette offered him, "Thank you."

"Hey Ray, you okay?" Asked the navy-haired boy, setting his cup down on the coffee table and sitting beside him.

"I'm fine." He insisted in an exasperated and weary tone.

Taking his hands away, Ray stretched his arms over his head then brushed back his hair; with a sigh he placed his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his joint hands. He went on watching the door from the corner of his laden eyes, golden orbs dulled by his self-inflicted fatigue; it was slowly catching up to him.

"I hear water running." Suddenly said Tyson, his wide eyes exchanging looks with him, "From _their_ room."

Ray's own eyes widened in surprise and expectation; he hadn't imagined it then.

"Do you think…?" Began Kenny, but was cut off.

The two boys bolted up and walked over to the locked door; up close, they could definitively hear water running. With a nod from Tyson, Ray took a deep breath to slow his racing heart and knocked twice. From inside, there was movement, someone discarding covers, then footsteps of whoever was coming to open. In those few seconds before the lock clicked and the handle turned, everyone held their breath, anxious and frantic.

_Who will it be?_ Exclaimed Ray in his mind, _God, just open this door!_

-----------------------------------------------------------

The cold water running down his face gave him slight shivers, but Kai continued washing it over and over again to try and wake himself, his war marks now completely smudged and blue drops falling in the sink. The water ran everywhere but he didn't care; he knew it was useless because the reflection in the mirror never changed, yet still he persevered, wishing it were only a dream. A nightmare. Finally, he stopped and closed the tap, then looked up at the mirror; his visage had been rendered incredibly feminine, with smooth soft skin, long dark eyelashes and gentle composition. He passed a hand through his hair to clear the dripping blue bangs that were sticking to his wet forehead; the rest of his hair, of a darker blue, almost navy, was streaming down his shoulders and on the bathroom counter, the ends of it dipping in the sink.

When he first looked at himself in the glass above the sink, he thought he was gazing at a whole other person that liked to mimic his every gesture and expression perfectly. He found this person very attractive, a young and fierce woman, but seeing his eyes in hers reminded him that the woman looking back at him was his new self, his new image.

_At least I'm hot…_ He thought ironically.

He had not had the courage to take off his clothes; pushing up his sleeves alone had made him feel awkward, especially when he felt how smooth his skin was. He felt even more ashamed to pass his hand across his chest, just to make sure that he really had breasts and not… something else. He was afraid of the time he would really need to use the bathroom…

"Fucking hell…" He muttered to himself.

Sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, he grabbed one of the white towels from the neatly stacked pile and buried his face in it with a long and miserable sigh. Suddenly, he heard Max getting up and opening the door, and then Ray.

"He… She's awake?" He exclaimed.

"Yeah…" Replied weakly Max.

"Max, has it been long?" Asked fiercely Tyson, who seemed to have barged in the room right after Ray, "Has it been… God! Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well… She asked me not to tell you right away because…" She began, but was cut off clean.

"You should have told us, no matter what Kai said!" Burst the blue-haired boy, "We've been worried sick!"

"Tyson, calm down…" Begged a third boy, probably Kenny.

"He does have a point…" Ray said slowly.

"I… I'm sorry…" Apologized the blonde, "I was really happy too, and I wanted to tell you, but Kai…"

"Where is he?" Snapped Tyson.

"She…" Corrected weakly Max.

"Where is Kai?"

"Tyson, don't…" Hushed Kenny.

"Please Max, we need to talk to hi… her." Said Ray, in a gentler voice than Tyson, but just as urgent nonetheless.

"She's in the bathroom."

From his thick and soft towel, Kai overheard everything and felt a pang of guilt; he hadn't meant to make them worry, but it wasn't his fault either, he had needed to come to terms with himself before seeing anyone. He buried his face in deeper just as a light knock on the door came, followed by a gentle and soothing voice.

"Hey Kai, are you feeling better?"

The others all remained quiet while the raven-haired boy leaned his ear against the door, one hand on the doorknob and the other also on the door. There was a light crack of springs from one of the beds as Max sat down. Beyond that was silence.

"Kai?" He tried again, "Are you okay?"

He heard some shifting through the door, but no answer came; the navy-haired youth kept his figure well hidden in the towel, arms and face alike resting down on his knees.

"Kai, are you even…" Said Tyson irritably, but the other cut him off.

"Could I come in?"

Finally, he heard a muffled something, then Kai getting up and resting against the door, his hand also on the knob.

"Only you…" He said faintly, only loud enough for him to understand.

He felt the door unlock and the knob turn slightly so he stepped back, giving everyone else the sign to leave the bedroom and wait for him, then opened a little so that he could slide in; he locked the door behind him again. When he turned around and rested against the door with his back, he found his old friend sitting on the edge of the bathtub, a towel around her slender shoulders; a few water drops still ran down her forehead and chin and her hair was wet in places. A despondent expression touched her features and her dull grey eyes avoided his gaze.

"Kai… we've been really worried." He said gently, "You've been asleep for almost…"

"Three days…" Interrupted Kai bitterly, "I know…"

The raven-hair studied the girl in front of him, barely recognizing her as Kai. For one, he wouldn't look at him straight; he kept his eyes, dulled by strain and misery, down on the ground, letting his long wet hair fall all around him, framing his pale face. He also seemed small and frail, his back slumped, shoulders drooping, elbows on his knees, his face in her hands; he was defeated.

"Kai…" He called softly, but he turned his head away.

He was truly upset about the whole incident, but seeing him like this…

He knelt down in front of him, more than enough to be eye-level with him, but the other flinched when he put his hand on his shoulder, as if startled, making him met his eyes.

"I'm not going to try to kill myself…" He said resentfully, "No matter how much I want to…"

"That's good."

Ray was surprised at how much the navy-haired boy's voice had changed, not just his appearance, but he kept that to himself.

"But that's because you still have my knife…" He went on, morbid now, "I'd be bleeding away happily by now…"

"Kai."

He gave him a disapproving frown and he laughed quietly; he was even more surprised to hear him laugh, but apparently so was he. Kai raised his head and stared at his hands before grabbing his towel, taking it away from around himself, and hiding his face in it. At this, Ray squeezed his shoulder more, but didn't say anything.

"Why does shit like this have to happen to me?" He mumbled heatedly in his towel.

"It could have happened to anyone of us." Reassured him the other, "Tyson for example, or even me."

The navy-haired girl looked up at him, a small smile tugging the corner of her lips; the raven-hair found her very beautiful like that, and smiled back at her.

"You as a girl would be bad enough, but Tyson?"

"Why's that?"

"Well… Tyson is…" Sighed Kai, then went on with a sad smile, "Tyson is Tyson. There's just no getting around that…"

"And what about me?" Asked the second, his hand still holding on tightly.

"You're… well…" The girl hesitated, "I don't know…" Kai looked up at him, "How would _you_ feel?"

"Shocked for certain…" He smiled comfortingly, "Definitively confused and even scared…" He saw him lower his head and quickly added, "But I would rely on my friends for support, with faith that everything will go back to normal."

The other's smile turned distressed and his shoulders hunched some more, his hair sliding down and brushing Ray's arm, making him shiver; it was really soft and he wasn't used to it, but he ignored it nonetheless. Neither spoke; a thick silence settled between the two, both motionless and absorbed in their own thoughts. The raven-haired boy was observing the young woman before him, still unable to grasp the fact that it was Kai and not just some pretty girl, a very attractive girl; he was surprised and ashamed of himself for thinking what he was…

"I really appreciate what you're doing…" Finally said Kai, his tone hushed and tired, "But nothing's going to go back to normal… ever."

"That's not true!" He exclaimed, "You can't think like that!"

"Can't I?"

He pushed away his hand, got up and flicked his hair back, dropping the towel in the bathtub, then walked towards the door before Ray bolted up; he stopped him as his hand was on the doorknob. The raven-hair took him by the shoulders and turned him to make him face him; eye to eye, he confronted him.

"Kai, you have to promise me that you won't do anything stupid."

The other didn't answer, but avoided to meet with his gaze.

"You have to promise!" Insisted Ray.

"I can't…" Said Kai weakly.

"You have to!"

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, a little at first, but Kai pushed it all the way out. Max still sat on the bed but didn't look the slightest bit surprised at finding them like that; perhaps she heard their whole conversation and that's why she hid a little smile behind the covers she had wrapped around herself again.

"I'm sorry Ray…" Whispered the navy-haired youth.

He pushed him back and walked towards the door leading to the living room; he was about to open it, but stopped, hesitating. He shot him a quick glance, then one at Max before taking a deep breath and stepping out.

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OMG AN UPDATE! readers foam at mouth

Ahaha, this is actually kind of old by now. At least it's long, right? ENJOY!


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